X-Men Shadows
by syrinesong
Summary: Ari is a young mutant only two years into having her 'gifts'. As she, her best friend Kayla, and her cousin Seth finally arrive to the Xavier Institute for the Gifted her past and dark secrets threaten to destroy everything she's worked so hard to hold onto.


" _Ari!Ari Stop!" Seth's voice echoed in my mind but the darkness kept me going. I didn't even know what I was doing. I just felt blood, warm sticky blood, flowing down my arms from the black tendrils that grew from the shadows at my will. My mind screamed for more. What the hell was happening to me? I-I wasn't a monster was I? I was just a girl right? No, I was a monster and I had to accept it._

 _I felt my sight blacken as I heard the screams of agony escaping the man's lips. The pure satisfaction I gained from hearing his pathetic pleas only made my bloodlust grow. When I set out on the journey to join the X-Men I wanted to use my powers for good, to be a hero. Now I realized I would never be that hero. . ._

"Hey Ari how's this one look?" A voice snapped me out of the day dream I was in. I looked over to see a close friend I rolled my eyes as I watched her hold up a pink newspaper boy cap.

"Kayla hurry up" I snapped quietly crossing my arms tightly over my chest as I shot daggers at various sales clerks who watched us suspiciously. A girl in a black hoodie and refusing to show her face to the cameras? Of course the associates were staring at me like I was a thief. Please as if this small shop had anything I wanted anyway.

"Oh calm down Ari! I'm almost done!" The nineteen year old cheerfully sang out as she finished grabbing various snack items and groceries. We were both mutants though Kayla's powers were a bit more subtle. She read minds, a psychic with another skill. She could project images from someone's mind. The projection would seem completely real. I grabbed her up in South Carolina. She was running away, just like me. Kayla approached the counter beaming happily at the clerk with her strawberry blonde hair blowing to the side slightly from the clerk's desk fan which sat on the counter behind him. It was a rather warm day, far too warm for my hoodie. I tugged at the sleeves uncomfortably, I wore the hood to hide my fox ears. Kayla frowned looking over at me from the corner of her eye. The clerk cleared his throat nervously seeing the daggers I shot into him.

"Uhm...Awfully h-hot day t-today" He stuttered.

'God! Stuttering! That was my biggest pet peeve, if you've got something to say just say it don't spend twenty minutes tripping over your own tongue,' my mind hissed bitterly at him. Kayla saw the tensions rising and cleared her throat.

"Yeah, it's hot alright. But I kind of like it, I mean, I just bought these cute little shorts and I have a reason to wear them" She smiled warmly patting my hand "Don't mind my friend. She's from the desert so this is cold to her." She tried to relieve the tension, the clerk didn't seem to buy her story but didn't dare to test that theory.

Kayla paid for her things quickly and grabbed my hand dragging me outside. Her cheerful expression changed to one of concern. "Ari, you're being fussier than usual…Have you not been sleeping?"

"I'll sleep eventually." I replied harshly before immediately regretting my attitude. Kayla didn't deserve it, she was always so sweet, and I'd never tell her that she was the reason I didn't sleep anymore. "Just….Just don't worry about it. I'll sleep tonight I promise" I lied. I wouldn't sleep tonight or any other night until I knew for sure that Kayla could control her abilities. The last time I tried to sleep Kayla unintentionally projected a few horrors from my mind and since then I avoided sleep. This wore on my mental ability and patience for people in general.

We left the store carrying a few bags as we spotted a familiar dark red 2013 Honda Accord parked nearby. A blonde man leaned on the hood watching us with his arms crossed over his chiseled chest. I nodded slowly to him from under my black hood before he glanced away from me towards my right. I tilted my head to the side spotting a tall man in a brown trench coat, black pants and an odd patterned shirt. His eyes were black save for red irises. He stepped closer to the two of us before stopping to bend over and pick up a small black wallet.

Kayla immediately slapped her back pocket realizing that it was in fact her small wallet that this strange man now held between his index and middle finger. A smile played on his face as he stopped in front of us.

"Bonjour"


End file.
